Hi everyone:
This is a bit long winded, but I'm looking to invest in a new knife and I'm looking at the following options:
- Cold Steel SRK 3V (saber grind)
- Cold Steel SRK VG10 San Mai (hollow grind)
- Cold Steel Outdoorsman VG10 San Mai (hollow grind)
- SOG Pillar S35VN (saber grind)
- Buck 119 Special Custom in Magnacut/Ironwood with leather sheath (hollow grind)
Regarding the SRK in 3V, how well does it do cutting, slicing, and shaving compared to the San Mai version? I've read some people say that it's not as slicey as the San Mai because the 3V is a flat saber vs the San Mai which is a hollow ground. Then other people say that the 3V is extremely sharp out of the box and holds an edge well. The info seems to be contradictory. This makes me hesitant to spend the extra money on the 3V. I just don't want to pay big money for a knife and have a similar experience to the knife I want to replace.
The knife I'm replacing is a Gerber Strongarm which has a 5 inch blade, 420 HC steel, a thick spine, and a convex grind. While I like the size and blade length, it dulls quickly no matter what I'm doing with it. While it is definitely a solid knife, it doesn't seem to work very well for cutting, slicing, and shaving. I feel its more for blunt force use like prying and batoning. Out of the few knives in my collection, the Gerber is the one I use and enjoy the least. For this reason, I'm really doing my due diligence before I buy another knife.
The heaviest use this knife is going to get is prepping fire wood and sticks while camping. I'll do some light chopping if I'm doing detail work and want to clean up a corner on a piece of wood. That is about as rough as I get with my knives. I'm not the type of person who uses their knives for heavy-duty chopping and prying. I would just as soon switch to a machete, saw, axe, or pry bar for those purposes.
Some other data points on how I use my knives:
- On my Swiss Army set, I have a thin 2-1/4 inch blade with a full flat grind. I think the steel is 1.4116 if I remember correctly. Despite the lower tier steel, it cuts, slices, and shaves things so well and holds its edge really well too. This is probably my favorite blade I own right now.
- I have a Spanish Toledo folding knife that is about 3 inches with a hollow grind. I enjoy using this knife just as much as my Swiss Army for the same reasons. I've had zero issues with this knife.
With these things in mind, which of the knives above would be a better fit for my use?
Thanks!
by JimHotWater85
